Combined match-box holder and cigar-tip cutter.



A. H. MERRILL. COMBINED NIA'TCH BOX HOLDER AND CIGAR TIP CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY 17| 1915.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

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:i ii fl I5 ii L wif/1.955515 me Nenn/s News co4. Naro-umu.. wAsmNn von.u cv ARTHUR H. MERRILL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED MATCH-BOX HOLDER AND GIGAR-TIP CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 19i7.

Application filed July 17, 1915. Serial No. 40,474.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCombined Match-Box Holders and Cigar-Tip Cutters, of which the followingis a specification.

rIhis invention relates to what I shall for convenience term a combinedmatch box holder and cigar tip cutter, among the principal objects ofthe invention being the provision of an article of this character whichis silnple in construction, susceptible of inexpensive manufacture andbywhich the tips of the cigars when clipped can be saved.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification I show in detail one convenient form of embodiment of theinvention which to enable those skilled in the art to practice the samewill be set forth fully in the following description. I do not restrictmyself to this particular disclosure; I may depart therefrom in severalrespects within the scope of the invention defined by the claimsfollowing said description.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a combined match boX holder and cigar tipcutter involving my invention the receptacle part of the boX beingwithdrawn.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrow but with the receptacle part of the boX in.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrow, the box being removed.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the box, and,

Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the complete article shown in Fig. 1.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The device involves in its construction a holder of some suitable kind,the clip 2 answering satisfactorily in this@ co-nnection. As representedthe clip consists of two side walls or plates, and a rear wallconnecting the side walls, the several walls being ordinarily, but notessentially, made in one piece and of sheet metal, in view of which therequisite resiliency is provided. The box 3 is yieldingly gripped by theside walls of the holder 2 and practically abuts against the rear wallof the holder or clip.l

One of the walls or sides of the holder has a cavity or depression ll,and this cavity or depression 4.- serves as a convenient means forreceiving a cutter as 5, the cutting portion G of which as shown is ofpractically inverted U-form. The cutter or knife 5 is made in the formof a blade and in the present case has a straight movementlongitudinally 4of the holder 2. To connect the cutter or blade 5 withthe holder 2, hollow rivets or eyelets asf may be provided, these rivetsor eyelets being triangularly disposed and extending throughlongitudinal slots as 7 in the blade or cutter 5. The slots as shown areinparallelism and in conjunction with the rivets or studs G properlyguide the cutter or blade. Said cutter or blade is situated interiorlyof the holder 2, and owing to the fact that it is located in the cavityor depressions, the movement of the cutter or blade is not in any wiseaffected by the boX 3 within the holder 2. That wall or side of theholder 2 in which the depression 4 is located has a perforation oropening 8 through which the tip portion of the cigar 9 can be passed, sothat such tip portion can be severed by the blade or cutter 5.' Saidblade or cutter is shown provided with an inward extension l0 whichpresents a convenient means for facilitating the operation of thecutter.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the cutter or blade is shown as occupying its retractedposition, being elevated so that its cutting portion 6 fully uncoversthe perforation or hole 8, by virtue of which the tip portion of thecigar can be passed through said hole or perforation as shown in Fig. 2.Then this is aC- complished, the cutter or blade will be advanced orlowered to the position it is shown as occupying in dotted lines inFig. 1. On such motion of the cutter the cutting portion 6 is caused tosever the tip of the cigar 9 which is disposed of in a manner as willmore particularly appear. The blade 5 in the present case is flat andhas a flatwise engagement with the bottom of the cavity or depressionll. ,'Ihe inner ends of the studs or rivets 6 extend into this cavity,and as a consequence prevent in no wise the free insertion of the boX 3into the space between the sides of the holder 2. y

In the body of the box 3 I form perforations as 11 and 12, they being sopositioned that when the box is inserted in the holder one or the otherof these openings or perforations 11 and 12 will coincide with theperforation or hole 8. There is an advantage in making two of suchperforations inA the box. In Figs. 1 and 2 it is assumed that theperforation 11 is opposite lthe perforation 8. At this time one abradedsurface of the box is at the open side of the holder. It will besupposed that this abraded surface has become worn, in which event theopposite abraded surface of the box should `be positioned for use. Toaccomplish this the box will be inverted, which will result in bringingthe perforation 12 opposite the hole 8.

I have mentioned the fact that a cigar tip is clipped by passing the tipportion. of the cigar through the perforation 8 when the knife or blade5 is in its retract-ed position. After the tip portion of the cigar haspassed through the hole or perforation 8 such tip portion will beprojected through the opening 11 .and therefore into the box or receptaole 3. As a result when the tip is cut off by the knife or cutter 5 inthe manner already'described, such tip will drop into the box 3 and canthus be saved.

As stated I have used the title selected for the invention merely as amatter of convenience and also for the fact .that the device is ofespecial utility when a match box is provided to receive the clippings.In this event the box serves not only `as a container for the matchesbut as a receiver for the clippings. In some cases as may be inferred,the box need not contain matches, although this is of advantage. The boxshown is of familiar type, comprising a cover or body portion and areceptacle portion within the cover portion, the receptacle or matchcontaining portion being slid from out of the body or cover portion(Fig. 1) when it is desired to obtain a match. lVhile also two holes orperforations as 11 and 12 are quite desirable, there may be instanceswhere only one may be utilized.

I do not restrict myself to any particular types of elements making upthe various parts of the combination. There may in fact be instanceswhere the box could be omitted. I prefer, however, owing to theadvantages obtained to combine with the holder a i'natch box. It will beunderstood that this match box is removably mounted. When the matcheshave been all used, the box can be taken from place and a fresh oneeasily substituted for it. From the old box the'clippings can beemptied, and if desired used for smoking. rlhe new box will of course,have one or more openings or perforations, one of which when the freshbox is inserted in place in the holder will be opposite the cigar tipreceiving perforation in the holder.

IVhat I claim is: Y

1. A device of the class described comprising a holder in the form of aclip and a match box, the match box comprising a body and a receptacleslidable in the body, the body being removably vieldingly gripped by andbetween the walls of the holder and the receptacle being slidable in andout of the body, while said body is thus gripped, one wall of the holderhaving a depression and the wall which has the depression having aperforation, the box body having a perforation in registerwith the`other perforation and both being adapted to receive the tip portion ofthe cigar, and a cigar tip cutter slidable in said depression forcutting off the tip portion of the cigar extending through saidregistering perforations.

2. A device of the class described comprising a holder in the form of aclip and a match box, the match box comprising a body and a receptacleslidable in the body, the body being removably yieldingly gripped by andbetween the walls of the holder and the receptacle being slidable in andout of the body while said body is thus gripped,

one wall of the holder having a perforation,

the box body having a perforation in register with the other perforationand both' being` adapted to receive the tip portion of the cigar, and acigar tip cutter for cutting off the tip portion of the cigar extendingthrough said registering perforations.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ARTHUR'H. MERRILL.

lVitnesses L. L. MARKET., HEATH Sori-IERLAND.

Copies of this patent inay be obtained for ve cents 'eaclnby addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

